Recuperator



sepr.-y v4, 192s.

R. C. HOPKINS RECUPERATOR `Filed N'ov. 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept.4, 192.8. l 1,683,577

R. c. HOPKINS RECUPERATOR Filed Nov. 21, 1925 SheetS-She'et 2 l l A l lll Il 7 l I: l1 5 L SRM nur:

CTI

terior ot the recuperator drum,

Patented Sept. 4, 19287.

UNIT En-f STATES Application `tiled. November The invention relates tooil or gas fired steam boilers and more particularly to means forheating an air blastftor the oil or lgas burnerby waste heat `from theboiler;V

The object oi' the invention is to provide a recuperator drum within thesmoke box of a boiler having tubes therethrough permitting the wasteheat from the boiler to pass through the tubes and around the outsideoi:l the drum, air under pressure.beingfforced t-hrough theV drum,around the heated tubes and then to the burner.

An embodiment of theinvention is illus trated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of averticalsteam boiler showing the improved recuperator mounted therein;

Fig. 2, a sectional view ot a portion of a horizontal steam boilershowing the recuperator therein, and

Fig. 3, a plan view of the recuperator.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe drawings.

The improved recuperator may be applied to either .vertical orhorizontal boilers and, as illustrated in the drawings, the boilers areof the re tube type, although the recuperator is equally adapted tor useupon other types of boilers.

In Figure l is illust-rated a conventional form of vertical boilerhaving the fire box 1 into which is extended a burner 2 which may be ofany desired construction.

The flame and products of combustion pass upward through the ire tubes 3in the usual manner and into the smoke box t which is provided with theusual stack 5.

The recuperator to which the invention pertains is in the form ot ahollow metal drum having the eylindricalfside wall 6 and the upper andlower-heads 7 a plurality of tubes 8, open at'both ends,rbeing locatedthrough the drum and connected in any suitable ma-nner to the headsthereof.

An inlet pipe 9 communicates with the inbeing pref-V erably locatedtangentially to the drum and communicating Vwith the lower portionthereof, this pipe beingv connected with a tan or other suitableapparatus for producing an air blast. y i

An outlet pipel() communicates with the upper portion of the recuperatordrum, preferably at a tangent thereto and upon the opposite aile et theVdrum trein, the inlet pipe,

Bonner c. HOPKINS,

vPATENTiFHE*ril nncurnaafron. i

21, 1925. serial no. 70,546.

thisoutlet pipe leading tothe burnerv2,ito

which oii or similar fuel is conducted asby the supply pipe Il.

Although 1t is preferable toprovide tubes 8, or other means for`furnishing" extra heating surface within the drum, these tubes may, ifdesired, be dispensed with, the drum being heated entirely from itsexterior bv the waste heat passing` upward through the smoke box, fromthe tire tubes, and around the drum. l Y g By locating the recuperatordrum within the smoke box and close to the boiler tubes the maximumwaste heat from the boiler Will be utilized in heating the drum, asitpasses around the same and through the tubes.

The air blast which is continuously passing through the drum will bequickly heated by contact with the interior ot the shell of the drum andthe .exterior or' the tubes, thus furnishing' a cont-inuous blast of hotairto the burner which will materially assist in the vaporizing andburning of the fuel.

In Fig. 2 the same form ofrecuperator drum is shown applied toahorzontal boiler, being located within the smoke box 4a thereof and inclose proximity to the tubes 3a.

In this case, as well as in the vertical boiler, the tubes 8 of .therecuperator are preferably located substantially in alignment with thefire tubes of the boiler, thus permitting the hot gases to travel insubstantially a. straight v i line through the boiler lues andthe tubesof the re-cuperator, and since the recuperator is of considerably lessdiameter than the boiler or smoke box, a flow of hot gases is alsoprovided entirely around the drum, heating the shell thereof as well asthe tubes.

I claim: l

1. In combination with .a boiler having tubes, smoke box at the otherend of the tubes, a burner in the fire box, a recuperator drum in thesmoke box in proximity with thetubes, said drumhaving tubes in alignmentwith the boiler tubes, and'means includingv inlet? andoutlet pipestangentially connected with the `recuperator drum for passing an airblast through the `recuperator drumY to the burner. 2. In combinationwitha boiler having lire tubes, av lire box at one end of the tubes anda a tire box at one end of the tubes and a Vsmoke box at the other endof the tubes, a burner in the fire box, a recuperator drum in the smokebox, tubes through the recuperator lia inf-Sane including inlet; amtendet pipes-am f gentially connected With the recuperator drum forpassing an air blast through the recuperator to the burner.

3. In combination with a boiler having tubes, a fire box at one end ofthe tubes and a smoke box at the othei end of the tubes, a.

tubes,

4. In combination Witha boiler having a ire box at one end of the tubesand a smoke box at the other end of the tubes, a. burner in the firebox, a recuperator drum in the smoke box, means including inlet andoutlet pipes tangentially connected with the recuperator drum forpassing an air blast through'the recuperator to the burner, and heatingsurfaces Within the'dl'uin aligned with the boiler tubes.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ROBT. C. HOPKINS.

